A refuse container having a door that is opened by the depression of a foot pedal is generally desirable because the act of opening does not require a free hand, and the user does not have to touch the container to deposit trash. Conventional pedal-operated refuse containers typically utilize a flat lid or flap at the top of the container. The prior art containers are typically round or square and may be manufactured of metal or plastic or a combination of both materials. The lids or flaps are typically permanently attached to the container and have a mechanical linkage which connects the lid or flap to a pedal. The mechanical linkage is usually permanently attached to the lid or flap such that the lid or flap may not be easily removed.
While the aforementioned pedal-operated refuse containers work well, several deficiencies make their use less than satisfactory. One type of prior art device is a bullet-shaped or cylindrical shell having an inwardly moving flap. This type of bullet-shaped container is typically slid over a liner that catches and contains the disposed rubbish. The flap often does not provide enough opening clearance to easily place rubbish into the liner when it is nearly full. To empty the liner, a person must lift the container over the liner. The practice of having to lift the heavy metal or plastic container up over the rigid liner to empty the trash proves to be cumbersome and hazardous often resulting in back strain.
Pedal-operated containers that employ a pivoting top lid which opens upwardly also have drawbacks and undesirable characteristics. First, the additional overhead space required for the upward movement of the lid prevents the container from being used under low countertops or tables. Second, the action of the lid swinging upwardly and pulling away from the container creates a vacuum, pulling into the surrounding area airborne pathogens and bacteria. Such air flows are unsatisfactory when the container is being used in a hospital, commercial kitchen, or a health care environment.
Both styles of containers mentioned above are often difficult to clean because the lids are typically permanently attached to the container base. This is particularly true in the case of the bullet-shaped container where a person must reach high into the container to clean behind the flap. To thoroughly clean the container, a person must disconnect the mechanical linkage between the foot pedal and the door and remove the door from the container. This practice is undesirable due to the time and effort involved.
Thus, the need exists for a refuse container having a door that may be selectively opened by a foot pedal to a position where it does not create an undesirable air flow or extend above the container, or extend into the refuse containing space of the container. The need also exists for a refuse container having a hood that may be removed from the base such that the inside of the door and hood may be cleaned without the requirement of disassembling the mechanical linkage.